Automatic intermittent-exhibiting device



J. GAGE Filed May 1K6, 1923 '5 sheets-'sneer AUTOMATIC INTERMITTENT EXHIBITING DEVICE DeL 4Q 192s.

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J. GAGE AUTOMATIC INTERMITTENT EXHIBITING DEVICE Filed May 16, 1923 5 Sheets-Sheet Deca 4,1928. y I 1,693,893

J. GAGE AUTOMATIC INTERMITTENT EXHIBITING DEVICE Filed May 16. 1925 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR Dec. 4, 1928.

J. GAGE AUTOMATIC INTERMITTENT EXHIBITIYNG DEVICE Filed May 16, 1923 5 Sheets-Sheet NYNTOR 2bn/G1194.'

Patented Dec. 4, 1928.`

UNITED STATES l PATENT OFFICE,"

JAY GAGE, or Los ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, AssIGNon, BY DIRECT AND ivrEsNE ASSIGN- MENTS, To ELECTRO- TELIT MANUFACTURING COMPANY.

AUTOMATIC INTERMIT'IIENT-EXHIBITING DEVICE.

Application led May 16, 1923. Serial No. 639,341.

An objectof this invention is to provide a novel advertising device operable by an electric current to display advertisements successively and that is compact so as to be adaptedthe faces of the polygonal advertisement carrier can be viewed successively as the carrier is revolved, andy I providev means whereby the polygonal carrier is revolved intermittently step by step and whereby shutter means will be operated to open and close the sight 1 opening; said shutter means being interposed between said sight opening and the Carrier whenever the carrier is revolving, thus to attract attention and arouse the interest of An object of this invention is to provide an attractive, flashing contrivance which can be placed on the top of a weighing machine and which will attract attention to said macliine'not only for the purpose of advertising commodities but also of advertising the weighing machine itself, thus to cause patronage thereof.

An object is to makeprovision whereby the interior mechanism of the device may be readily reached by an attendant for adjustment or repair.

An object of the invention is to provide for operating the device electromagnetically and yet to avoid destructivejapplication of torce to the mechanism. I accomplish this object by applying the force of the electro-magnet to place aspring under tension and ythen apply the force of said spring to operate the mechanism.

vI'provide in combinationwith an electrical switch, a dash pot timing mechanism, a lostmotion device between such' mechanism anda spring returned electro-magnetically operated actuating device, so that. such actuating device can be immediately re-set by the spring the moment the current is turned off, andthe` dash pot" is left freeto lcontrolrthe springt operated switch. n

An object of the invention is to provide simple accurate means for timingthe revolvi ingof the exhibiting trame of the exhibiting.A device; and in this connection, I yprovide means whereby, when the` current is shut oif .l from the actuated electro-magnetic element .y 60

of thedevice said element is tree to immediately return'to the starting point. An -object is to prevent arcing;f'and I'k attain this object by the'combinationwith'an easily operated snap action spring of anel'ec- 05 trically retracted dash pot plunger, which is e arranged to set oit the snap action' contact` mechanism; andthe dash pot plunger is constructed and arranged to travel` slowly4 fora i predetermined period and thenk .tooperat-e suddenly to set off the contact closing device- The electromagnetically operated device'- `may be the plunger of a solenoid, or an arma?.

ture and itis understood that reference herein to a solenoid or solenoid plunger is in tended vto include any equivalent thereof.

Other objects, advantages and 'features of invention may appear from theaecompanyf.

'ing drawings, the subjoined detail` descrip*- tion and the appended claims. y' 80 The accompanying drawings illustrate thev invention.`

Figurel is a front elevation of an exhibit.- ing device constructed in accordance with'tliis invention, and standing on a support which` may be the frame of a weighingA machine, the ioor of a show window or any other desired support. Broken lines indicate thelocation of some of the interior `parts and a portion of; v the caseA is broken out to expose a part of the `frame.

Fig. 2 is an en d elevation of the Asame in Vreduced scale.

Fig. -3 is a plan oi"` the device on the scalel of Fig. 1; the upper portions of the case being 95k broken-away to expose some of the interior A cOnstrution. i v

'.Fig.l -i is a tragmental eleva-tional detail` partly in vertical section on line m4, Fig.,8, illustrating the pivotal rock shaft support;

Fig. 5 is a fraginental end elevation viewed from a; plane indicated by liney 5-5 at the,

left of Figs. 1 and 3, and showing on a larger v dicated by line 8MS at the right of Figs. 1 and 3 showing the main spring and the mechanism Y operated thereby in position With the shutter V retracted in full lines, and closed in dot and dash lines; and also showing electrical con;` tacts for the lights.

` Fig.` 9 isa fragmental section on line m9,

Fig. 8, showing one of the 'end stops for the,V

advertising cards. l

Fig. 10 is an enlarged fragmental vend elevation of a corner of the drum With adverj` tising cards` therein.

Fig. 11 is a fragniental side eleva-tion of the f operative parts partly in sect-ion to expose interior construction. Y i

Fig. 12 is a detail ofthe ratchet wheel. Fig. 13 is a detail of the rocker arm. y `Fig. 14 isa side elevation of the4 assembly of the ratchet Wheel mechanism showing the pavvland rocker arm at rest. Y g

Fig. 15 is a side elevationof the-assembly of the ratchet Wheel mechanism showing the paw] advanced to the next notch beyond t-hat caught by it i'n Fig. 111' and rocker arm in kicking out position. i i' lig; 16 is a plan view ofFig. 15 looking from the underside. y

i Fig.y 17 is a side elevation showingfthe as-` semblyiof the ratchet wheel mechanism and shutter mechanism, and showing the shuttei ,inopen position.V

Fig. 18 is a plan view of Fig. 17 looking down from the top.

Fig. 19 is a fragmental detail showing the switch assembly and showing the switch in4 contact position; fragments ofthe switch.'

:1 g spring are indicated in broken lines.

. on base feet 2, which may be of rubber or` The device may be variously constructe and is illust-rated with an-exhibiting frame and operating mechanism mounted inside a case or housing a. i

The base`1 of the case is shown supported any other desirable material, and' thebottom plate 3 of the housing frame is secured to the base 1 by screwsV l inserted up through the 1 Lbase l and screwed into the bottom plate 3, which extends from end to endof the housing frame and to which the uprights @of the housing frame are fixed by suitable means asthe screws 6. A 1

The uprights 5 of said stripsat the ends of said frame ,'L each bent to form on vopposite sides of a "vertical longi- Vof said ligure.

frame are metal tudinal mid-plane, the feet 7,1egs 8, slanting lateral limbs 9, upright side limbs 1 and slantingI top limbs 11 of the case. ."lhe limbs 9,10 and 11 contorni to sides of a polygonal figure, which in the present instance is hexagonal `to house a hexagonalrevolving right are spaced .apart thewidth of one side Thereis'one of `said uprights at-each end oit the bottom plate 3, and said uprights support the housing shell'12, which is of sheet metal and is prete 1ably of' a single .piece bent to provide the members 8', 9', 10 and 11" on each side of a vertical longitudinal plane produced from the peak 13 formedby the top members 11 of tliefranie uprights and 11- of the shell. The ends of the housing are closed by removable endpieces '14, 14"; which are shown fitted inside the shell and against the upriglits 5 and held in placeby nuts o, C on studs (l, (Z fixed to the housing.

LInside the frame fand its housing7 rigid.,

end posts 15, lpi'efcrably in the fornrof sheet nietal stampings, are mountedV transversely of the housingg'and provided respeetively withbottom fiangesfl? foi'ining feetsecured Vby means ofscrevvs 18 to,

the base plate 3, and provided with bears `19` by means of which a. horizontal eX- hibitin-g frame shaft 20, extending lengthwise of the housing and journaled to revolve in said bearings, is mounted centrally ofV the of sheet metal; and it comprises Vend pieces 21. 21 fixed to and revolving With the shaft 20; and card holders 22 fixed'to andV connect# ling the end pieces.

In the form shown the exhibiting frame is hexagonal and is of such ncross sectional dimensions as to be `"freely i'evolvable inside the case. Y 4

The card holders 22 of the frame aresuitvably fixed, as by soldeigto the 'end pieces 21,

21 and are provided at their longitudinal edges with retainers 23 for advertising `cards 24.. Said retainers are shown as"l bent `up edges of the sheets Aformingthe card holders and said retainers form sli`de\vays`into` which the cards may be slid from eitherendlj The card'holders'22 preferably extend beyond the end pieces 21, 21',y Spring stops I25 are secured to the outer faces of theend pieces 21, 21 and have upward bends @projecting beyond the ends of the card holders, an adapted to be sprung inwardly ont of the Way to allow advertising clardsfv24, vtoV be inserted into and Withdrawn from theV slideway between the. retainers. The .stops pre-- vent the"cardsfroin being accidentally slid outendwise. i W J l An escape-ment Wheel 26 having notches 27v to receive the-operating paivl 28,is ,fixedto and turns the lliorizontal shaft 2O fand said exhibiting fra-ine I) g and' is 1 intermittently The exhibit-ing frame b is fixed to andv l is revolved by said shaft 20 and may be made ltlO with'lateral stops 57, `58 against which'theV oscillating spring alternately brings the estuated by electro-magnetic means'and connections which may be of any desired charac; ter adaptedv to revolve the exhibiting traine vstep by step,` with intervals of rest, assaid" cards come successively to vertical position at the sight panel opening or transparency 29 in the Yiront side of the case.

Preferably the exhibiting trame b is located centrally oi the housing7 and the operating mechanism is made in two sections stored respectively in opposite ends of the housing and with the exhibiting frame between them, so as to give symmetry and bal-l ance to the device. i y

30 is a rock-shaft arranged below and out of the way of the exhibiting trame, and pivoted by adjustable pivots 31 to suitable supports 31 and provided with an elongate upwardly extending rock-arm 32 which'is fixed to shaft 30, and oscillates a lock pin 38 that is adapted to lock and to release the escapement wheel. j i l To one end of thelock pin 33 there iscon-v nected one end oltl a helical spring 34 the other end oi'l which is connected Vto the standard 15, to retract the lock pin Slvwhich is adapted and arrange-dto fit into the notches 27 of the ratchet wheel 26, thus normally holding the exhibiting frame ZJ stationary, and allowing said 'traine to be turned only `when the pin is withd awn from wheel 26. i 35 is a power transmitting rock shaft -journalled to post 16 at one end, and to post 15 at the other end, and provided on one side with a rock arm` 36, which is connected by the main spring 37 witha stationary part suchas the arm 38 of thel post l5; the rock sha-ft 'is provided on its other side with an arm 36 that is connected-by a rod 39 to a dog 40 which is pivoted on the Vpawl carrying member 41 that is journaled on the shaft 2O to which the-escapement wheel 26 is iixed.

Power is applied to the power transmitting rock-shaft 35 from the solenoid 42 through the plunger rod 48 which acts through a pin operating in slot 45 of the slotted rocker arm 46V that is lixed to, and rocks the shaft 235; and said solenoidis energized by a current from a suitable source, as the battery 47, through leads 4S', 49, oscillating switch member 50 and its contact element 540 and the stationary ground contact-5l which contact is electrically connected through theframe at-v post 16 with the ground wire 5 2.

he oscillating switch member 50 is pivoted as at 52 to a stationary partes a standard 53 of the main -traine, and is oscillated over the pivot center 52 by an oscillating spring 54 lined to the standard at a point- 55 below the pivot center 52, and to the oscillating' switch member 50, at a point abovewsaidpivotv center 52. Saidistandard 53 provided cillating switch to rest according to the side of the pivot on which the axis of the spring lies. AThe amplitudeot oscillation allowe-i by the stops 57, 58 is but little more than enough to cause the line of Vforce oi'tlie spring between the points 55, 56 to pass the axis of the pivot 52 at the beginning oi the oscillation in either direction and to permit the nicmber 5() to be moved into and out oiicngagement with the ground Contactr 5l and thereby close and open the circuit to the solenoid 42. MeansV operable by the electro-magnetic device, as the solenoid 42, is provided in the torni oi lugsV 59, 60 .that are spaced apart on a 'dash pot plunger rod 6l operated bywalking beam 62 that is piif'oted to post 16 62 the dash pot 67, the piston 68 of which is constructed and arrangeci to oder a variable resistance to the descent et' said rod 6l by a means tobe further described. The connection between the walking bear-:ii 62 and the rod 6l is a lost motionconnection and is prefer ably constructed with an elongated link or slotted member G6 which is shown as made of a steel wire or rod carried by a pin 69 on the walking beam 62, and acts upon a bearing 70 on` the end ol the rod 6l to lift such rod when the solenoid plunger descends; and it is 1 given freedom 'tor descent ot the piston rod when the solenoid plunger is elevated as SQL shown in l3`ig.,5 and further indicated'in.`

Fig. 19.

'lhe rod 39 is pivoted'to th dog 4() which in turn is pivo'ted by pivot 7i on the pawl ca ing member 4l to which the pawl 28 is iiv( by a pivot 72; and said pawl is held by spring 73 in contact withthe notched perinjieter o'l' the escapenient'whecl 26. The pivoted dog 40 V.provided on one side of 'the pivct'i with a head 74 to which the rod 89is pivoted; and is provided on the other c:ide et the pivot 7l with an angle arm adapted to act upc-n the lock pin'l te withdraw it from the escapement wheel 26. Y

The lock pin Aias a stra-ight limb 33 which extends through the elongated roel;

Y arm 32 due to the tendency of the spring 34 to fdraw said locl arm 'toward the escapeii'ien wheel into which the loch rod 33 enters to hold 'the escapement w`ieel yfran rotating. Said pin also passes 'thi gli twoconnecting. rods 7"?, 78 which fare resiicctively connected Yby bell-cranks T9, 8O withshutte: arms 8l, K

82 oi' the shutters 84. Gnd shutter arms are arranged to id from the chart 20; the bell-cr V9 et the arm 8l being above and the arm 8l below the level oit' said shaft 2,()Iand-the bell-crank arm 8O being ed low and shutter arm 82 being above said level so that asthe rocker arm 32 moves toward the cscapement wheel the arm 81 1s `moved down and the, shutter arm 82 is moved up. "Said shutter arms are provided with shutters 83, 84 respectively adapted to close togctherin 4trent of the transparency 29 when the main spring 37 is operating pawl 23V to revolve the escapement wheel 26.

By reference to Fi 17 it will be seen that when lthemain siring 37 is contracted, the lock pin'33 is in a notch 27 and holds the escapement wheel Q0 and consequently the eX- liibitingframe o from revolving and when the rock shaft Vis locked bya depression o the solenoid 'plunger 64 to expand the spring 37 the rod 39 moved upward 'to retract the pawl from one notch 27 to a lower notch;

During thisniovcmcnt the connecting 'rod 39 depresses the angle arm V7 5 so that the bent intermediate portion thereof escapes the portion 33 of the locli bar until the angle arm 75 engagesthe underside ot' said portion 33.

Then the lock pin 33 is withdrawn as shown in solid lines Fig. 17 and in broken lines` Fig. 8 the main spring 37 islelt free to roel;

the shait35 -in the direction reverse to that in which it actuatedby the solenoid; and the downward movement of `the arm 36pu1ls down the connecting rod 39 and moves the dogT 40, into the positionshown in Fig. 17 thus operatin' the pawl 28 to turn the esca peincnt wheel. i f i The portions ofthe escapemcnt wheel be- Y tween the notches 27 is radially reduced just -iforwardly of such notches so that the lock` pin easily intercepts the escapeinent wheel to stop the exhibiting trame at the appropriate point.

l The arm 40 is provided with a rounded bend 40 and a lock bar retracting limb 40 and when the dog 40 is lifted the bend 40 and retract-ing arm 40 act upon the portionl 33 of the lock pin 33 thus to retract said lock pin and the arm 32 which inturn reeks therock shaft 30. The head 74 ot the dog 40 is provided below the level of its pivot 71 wit-han extension 85 terminating in a lug 86 to catch under the arm 41 when` the rod 39 vis Vatits highest upward movement. It is adapted to bring the connecting' rod 39 across the pivot 71 which position is such as to allow the intermediate portion 40 and 40 of the dog to come below the. level oi the portion 33 of the lock pin.

As the comieetingl rod 39 moves from the position shown in solid lines in Fig. 14 to its highest position which is shown in broken lines in said'Fig-14, the bend 40" of the dog 40 is held retracteil until'it has passed the portion 33 oiithelocl pin 33 and when the dog has reached its highest position and' has forced the lock pin out of contact, as shown 1n Fig. 15, the spring 37 retracts theV dog to the position shown in solid lines in Fig.A 15; Inn

mediately thelock pin 33 is withdrawn the Spring 37 operating throughthe al1-m36l connecting rod 39, dog 40 and arm 4l,ope'rates the pawl 28 to `turn the escapement wheel.

The upper end 39" of the connecting rod 39.

' tion 87, and guides 88 extend from the hot tom of the dash pot tothe cylindrical portion 87to guide said washer. A by-pass 8.9 extends from Vtheenlargedportion 87 to adjacent theupper end of the cylindrical portion 87, said b y-pass entering the chamber 87 through a port 100.V y

A screw 101lis .threaded into the byp`ass 89 and is adapted to extend over the port 100 i to varyfthe openingof said port, and thus limit the amount of fluid passing through said port. "lr

A port 103is formed in` the washer 88 through which fluid is adapted Vto pass as the plunger reciprocates, and this port may be adjusted byfa plate 104 pivoted to the washer 88 and adapted to swing over said port to partially close the same.` l

The operation of thedash lows i p With the parts shown in solidline position, Fig. 5, the switch 50'has justbeen closed by virtue `of its `element 50 contacting with' the ground `contact 51 upon the forward.V movementof saidswitch on its pivot 52', which energizes the solenoid 42 causing the plunger 64 thereof to move downwardly, which pulls the plunger 61 upwardly through the opera tion of the walking beam 62. The resistance of the fluid in the dash pot to the upward movement of thewasher 88 causes said washer to move downwardly against the'tension of f the spring 90, thus exposing ports 105 in'said washer, which normally are covered by the top washer 89.

The opening of these 'ports permits the fluid to pass the washer 88 more readily and facilitates the upward movement of the rod 61.' The upward movementfofpthe rod G1 rocks the switcherearwardly tobreak the con Y neetion between `contact element 50 and the` ground contact 51, which Vde-energizes.the

solenoid 42 and the weight'ofthe rod 61, and

washers 89 and 88 cause saidplunger and parts to move downwardly in the dash pot forcing the liquid through theby-pass 89 into thesection`87.` f

Previous to this. downward movement, how'- ever, the spring 90 has moved the washer88 upwardly against the washer 89, thus closing Y the ports 105, which ports remain closed during the downward movement of the rod and washers. i l

As the liquid passes into the section 87, the weight thereof assist-s in the downward movement of the washers. When the washer 88 arrives in the enlarged portion 87 the resistance of the fluid is removed therefrom because of the space around said washer, and therod 61 falls rapidly to the bottom of .the dash pot to again close the switch 50 to energize the sole-l Varms 32 and 32, both of which are connected in the manner detailed in Figs. 8, 17 and 18 to operate the shutters each time the shaft is rocked. E The lamps 92 are connected with the elecl tric source through leads 93, 94 and are vconstantly lighted; but at each closing of the shutters the lights will be hidden and as the shutters are again opened will illuminate the signs. y e

The operation of my device will heap parent from the foregoing description.

I claim: i

1. An exhibiting device comprising a carrier for advertisements; electrically operated means for intermittently operating the carrier to successively expose to view advertisements on the carrier; an electricalk switch connected to said operating means; dash pot means connectedl to operate said switch; a piston rod in said dash pot and an elongate slotted link and pins on said piston rod, said link and pins cooperating to form lost motion means -i'or timing the periods `of the operation of said switch by the dash pot.

2. In combination with an advertisement carrier, means to rotate said carrier means,a walking beam; a solenoid having a plunger rod connected to one end of the Vwalking beam; a link connected to the other end of said walking beam; a dash pot; a plunger roperable with variable motion in said dash pot andconnected to said link; an electrical switch; and means on the dash pot plunger` for operating the switch to energize and deenergize the solenoid for operating the car.-

rier operating means intermittently.

3. The Vcombination with an advertisement carrier, of means .to intermittently operate said carrier, a spring, and rock arms operable in one direction by said spring, of an escape-4 ment connected to said carrier for regulating the intermittent operation thereof; means to lock the escapement; a dog operable by said v unlock the escapement.

4. The combination with an advertisement carrier, ci means to operate said carrier intermittently, a spring, and rock arms operable in one direction by said spring, of an es?" capementconnected to said carrier for regulating the intermittent operation thereof; means tolock the escapeinent; a dog operable by said spring through the rocky arms, rand adapted to unlock the escap'ement; shutters to exclude the advertisement from view. and means operable by said spring and connected to operate tle shutters.

5. In combination with aV polygonal `case having a transparency in one of its sides; a polygonal advertisement carrier arranged inside the case; electro-magnetic means and dash pot means inside the case at one 'endof the carrier; means inside the case at the other end of the carrier for revolving the carrier step by step to successively expose its faces through the transparency; said means including a spring for operating the carrier; means connecting spring to the electromagnetic means to put the spring under tension; and means 'operable by the dash pot means to close the contact for` thepurpose of energizing the magnet of said electromagtension. Y

6. In an apparatus for intermittently re volving a carrier;`a spring operated escapement wheel connected to said carrier Vand provided with notches; a lever ulcriimed aX- ially of said escapeineiit wheel; a pawl at one vendof said lever; a spring adapted to hold the pawl in engagement with said escapement wheel; a dog pivoted to the other end of' said netic means to thereby placethe spring under lever, and provided with a downward eXtendog on its pivots; a lock pin adaptedto enterl the notches or' the escapement wheel; yielding y means to hold the lock pin in engagement with the notches; said dog-being provided with an extension-adapted to operate witha cam action upon the lock pin to withdraw it from the escapement wheel, and also pro vided with an arm to act as a. stop for said extension so that when the dog is operated it will act with the cam to force the Llock pin ont of engagement, and will then come to rest so that operation of the dog will operate the lever; and the pawlgcarried thereby will ie-v volve the escapement wheel. i v

In testimony whereof, I have hereuntoset my hand at Los Angeles, California, this 10th day ofM-ay, 1923, Y

JAY GAGE. 

